PM Modi virtually inaugurates Vande Bharat Express in Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express train in Kolkata through video conferencing and dedicated it to the nation. This Vande Bharat train will travel from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri route in Bengal from January 1. This Vande Bharat Superfast train will have all kinds of modern facilities. At the same time, after flagging off Vande Bharat, PM Modi also gave his address. PM Modi said that today I have the opportunity to bow down to the holy land of Bengal. The history of independence is embedded in every particle of Bengal. From the land where 'Vande Matram' was chanted, 'Vande Bharat' was flagged off.

I could not come to Bengal due to personal reasons: PM Modi

PM Modi said that today I had to meet all of you, but due to personal reasons, I have not been able to come among all of you. I apologize for this. In the 'Amrit Mahotsav' of the country's independence, the country had resolved to start 475 'Vande Bharat Trains'. Today, one of these 'Vande Bharat' connecting Howrah to New Jalpaiguri has started.

Today, 30th December has its importance in history: PM Modi

Today, the date of 30 December also has its own importance in history. On December 30, 1943 itself, Netaji Subhash raised the flag of India's independence by hoisting the tricolor in Andaman. In the year 2018, on the 75th anniversary of this event, I went to Andaman. An island was also named after Netaji.

PM Modi said that for the rapid development of India in the 21st century, rapid development and improvement of Indian Railways is necessary. The Central Government is making record investments to modernize the Indian Railways. Now modern trains like Vande Bharat Express, Tejas Express, Humsafar Express are being built in India. In the next 8 years, we will see Railways on a new journey of modernization.

Before 2014, the total metro network in the country was less than 250 km. The central government tried to change this and in the last 8 years, the metro has been expanded to two dozen cities. Today metro is running on about 800 km track in different cities of the country and work is going on on 1000 km new metro route.
Before flagging off Vande Bharat, Mamta Banerjee mourned the demise of PM Modi's mother Hiraba. He wrote that Prime Minister today is a very sad day for you. I will pray to God to give you the strength to bear this sorrow. I would request you to keep this program short as you have just come from your mother's funeral.

Slogans of Jai Shri Ram raised in PM Modi's program, Mamta got angry

According to media reports, in the program organized to flag off the Vande Bharat Express, some BJP workers raised slogans of Jai Shri Ram, after which CM Mamta Banerjee got angry.

Vande Bharat train will complete the journey from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri in approximately 7.5 hours. This train will leave Howrah station at 6 am and reach New Jalpaiguri at 1.30 pm. After stopping for about an hour at New Jalpaiguri, the Vande Bharat Express will leave from here at 2.30 pm and reach Kolkata at 10 pm.

Vande Bharat ticket booking

Tickets for this blue and white colored train can be booked through the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and the Internet. Passengers can also book tatkal tickets as there is quota available in this train. However, no concessional booking is allowed.

AC Chair Car (CC) Fare:
HWH to NJP - Rs 1565
HWH to Bolpur - Rs 650
HWH to Malda Town - Rs 950
HWH to Barsoi - Rs 1,090

Executive Chair Car (EC) Fare :-
HWH to NJP - Rs 2,825
HWH to Bolpur - Rs 1,170
HWH to Malda Town - Rs 1,775
HWH to Barsoi - Rs 2,060

There are a total of 69 seats in the Executive Chair Car (EC) while 903 seats are available in the AC Chair Car for general booking.

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